News Release

Autism screening for all children recommended by guidelines

Peer-Reviewed Publication

American Academy of Neurology

ST. PAUL, MN -- All children should be routinely screened for any developmental problems and specifically for autism beginning as early as infancy, recommend guidelines from the American Academy of Neurology. The guidelines are published in the August 22 issue of Neurology, the scientific journal of the American Academy of Neurology, and were developed by experts from 12 professional organizations.

"It sometimes takes years after the first symptoms are noticed for autism to be diagnosed," said pediatric neurologist Pauline A. Filipek, MD, lead author of the guidelines. "These guidelines focus on early detection, because it should never be assumed that the child will 'grow out of it' or 'catch up.'"

Identifying children with autism focuses on behavior, such as problems with eye contact and responding to their name. These behaviors may appear in children before 12 months of age. Two levels of evaluation are required -- first, a general screening/surveillance for any atypical development or risk factors, and second, a specific diagnosis and evaluation of autism.

The guidelines recommend routine developmental screening during all well-child visits from infancy through school age, and at any age thereafter if there are ever any concerns about social interactions, language, learning or behavior. Currently fewer than 30 percent of children receive developmental screening at well-child appointments.

If risk factors are present, such as the failure to meet childhood milestones or a sibling with autism, further developmental evaluation is required.

"For example, children who aren't babbling or gesturing by 12 months should have additional testing," said Filipek, who practices at the University of California Irvine Medical Center.

Additional 'absolute milestones' include: no single words by 16 months, no 2-word phrases by 24 months, or the loss of any language or social abilities at any age.

Once a developmental delay or risk factor is identified, the guidelines recommend genetic or metabolic testing to rule out conditions that may be confused with autism, and to determine the best way to manage treatment. The guidelines were developed with experts from 12 professional organizations. They reviewed more than 2,750 scientific studies about autism to provide evidence-based recommendations on specific strategies for the current screening and diagnosis. The guidelines also recommend where more research is needed, such as development of new screening tools specifically for children younger than one year and for milder forms of the disorder.

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In addition to the American Academy of Neurology and the Child Neurology Society, the guidelines are endorsed by the American Academy of Audiology, the American Occupational Therapy Association, the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, the Autism National Committee, Cure Autism Now, the National Alliance for Autism Research, the Society for Developmental Pediatrics, the American Psychological Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Autism is a neurological disorder that affects 1 in 500 children and usually appears within the first three years of a child's life. It impacts the brain in the areas of social interaction and communication. Children who are autistic can be intelligent, yet they are unresponsive and have difficulty communicating with the outside world. For example, they have difficulty playing with other children or sharing. Some autistic children show self-destructive behavior, while others may repeat body movements such as rocking and arm flapping.

The American Academy of Neurology, an association of more than 16,500 neurologists and neuroscience professionals, is dedicated to improving patient care through education and research.

For more information about the American Academy of Neurology, visit its Web site at http://www.aan.com.

For online neurological health and wellness information, visit NeuroVista at http://www.aan.com/neurovista.

For more information contact: Sarah Parsons 651-695-2732



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